Implore God for help and assistance against all temptations from visible and invisible enemies, and say with the priest at the Introit: Behold, God is my helper, and the Lord is the support of my soul: turn out the evils upon my enemies, and cut them off in thy truth, O Lord, my protector. (Ps. liii.) Save me, O God, by thy name: and deliver me in thy strength. Glory, &c.

 PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. May the ears of Thy mercy, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Thy suppliants: and, that they may succeed in their desires, make them ask those things that are agreeable to Thee. Through Our Lord &c.

 EPISTLE, (i. Cor. x. 6 -13.) Brethren: Let us not covet evil things, as they also coveted. Neither become ye idolaters, as some of them: as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day three-and-twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ: as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents. Neither do you murmur: as some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh himself to stand, take heed lest he fall. Let no temptation take hold on you but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.

Can we sin by thought and desire?

Yes, if we desire wrong and forbidden things, or voluntarily think of them with pleasure, even though the deed is not done; for God prohibits not only evil deeds, but evil thoughts and desires, as for the neighbor's wife or goods. (Exod. xx. 17.) Christ says (Matt. v. 28.), that he who looks upon a woman with evil desire, has already committed adultery. But evil, wicked thoughts, and imaginings are sinful only when a person, knowing that they are bad, consents and persists in them; but if he fights against them with disgust for them, he will even deserve reward. For this reason God sometimes permits even the just to be tempted by them.


What is meant by tempting God?

Demanding presumptuously a mark or sign of divine omnipotence, goodness, or justice. This sin is committed when without cause we desire, that articles of faith should be demonstrated and confirmed by a new miracle; when we throw ourselves needlessly into danger of death, or danger for the soul, hoping God will save us; when in dangerous illness the ordinary remedies are rejected, and all trusted to God.


Is it a great sin to murmur against God?

That it is such, may be learned from the punishment which God inflicted on the murmuring Israelites; for besides Kore, Dathan, and Abiron whom the earth devoured, many thousands of them were consumed by fire; and yet these had not murmured against God directly, but only against Moses and Aaron whom God had placed over them as their leaders. From this it is seen, that God looks upon murmuring against spiritual and civil authority, instituted by Him, as murmuring against Himself. Hence Moses said to the Israelites: Your murmuring is not against me, but against the Lord. (Exod. xvi. 8.)


 ASPIRATION. Purify my heart, I beseech Thee, O Lord, from all evil thoughts and desires. Let it never enter my mind to tempt Thee, or to be dissatisfied with Thy fatherly dispensations. Permit me to be tempted not beyond my strength, but grant me so much fortitude, that I may overcome all temptations, and even derive benefit from them for my soul's salvation.


 GOSPEL. (Luke xix. 41 - 47.) At That Time: When he drew near Jerusalem, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying: If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace: but now they are hidden from thy eyes. For the days shall come upon thee: and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side, and beat-thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee: and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation. And entering into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought. Saying to them: It is written: "My house is the house of prayer: but you have made it a den of thieves." And he was teaching daily in the temple.

Why did our Saviour weep over the city of Jerusalem?

He wept for the ingratitude, the blindness, and obduracy of its inhabitants, who would not receive Him as their Redeemer. He was saddened by the ruin which was to come upon them, and by the thought that all His works and sufferings would be lost for them.


What was the time of visitation?

It was the time when God sent them one prophet after another, who urged them to penance, and whom they persecuted, stoned, and killed. (Matt, xxiii. 34.) Especially it was the time of Christ's ministry, when He so often announced His salutary doctrine in the temple of Jerusalem, confirmed it by miracles, proving Himself to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world, but was despised and rejected by this hardened and impenitent city.


Who are prefigured by this hardened and impenitent city?

The hard hearted, unrepentant sinners who will not recognize the time of God's visitation, in which He urges them by the mouths of His preachers, confessors, and superiors, and by inward inspiration to reform their lives and seek the salvation of their soul, but who give no ear to these admonitions, and defer conversion to the end of their lives. Their end will be that of this impious city; then the enemy, that is, the evil spirit, will surround their soul, tempt, terrify, and drag it into the abyss of ruin. Oh, how foolish it is so lightly to fritter away the time of grace, the days of salvation! On, how would the damned do penance, could they but return to earth! Oh, how industriously would they use the time to save their soul! Use then, my dear Christian, the time of grace which God designs for you, and which, when it is run out or carelessly thrown away, God will not lengthen for a moment.


Will God conceal from the impious that which serves their salvation?

No; "but while they are running after the pleasures of this life," says St. Gregory, "they see not the misfortunes treading in their footsteps, and as the consideration of the future makes them uncomfortable in the midst of their worldly pleasures, they remove the terrible thought of it from them, and thus run with eyes blindfolded in the midst of their pleasure into eternal flame. Not God, but they themselves hide the knowledge of all that is for their peace, and thus they perish."


 ASPIRATION. I beseech Thee, O Lord, who didst weep over the city of Jerusalem, because it knew not the time of its visitation, to enlighten my heart, that I may recognize the time of grace, and make it useful to myself.